The Israel Patent Agency has just dstributed a draft copy of a third amendment to the trademark regulations of 1940. The amendment may be found here

I’ve briefly scanned it. The name of the Patent Office is now Patent Agency. Agents are now patent attorneys or attorneys-at-law, and there are a number of other similar formal amendments.

The most significant change seems to be that one now apparently has to file trademarks electronically, with an appropriate electronic signature. This seems to discriminate against the do-it-yourself camp. In my experience, where people attempt to represent themselves before the patent office, it usually turns out more expensive than if they use a profesional, so in general, see this as a postive development, although it is difficult to see it is legally justified to require people to submit electronically as this does effectively cut out private individuals.

I also note that now explicitly, sound marks are acceptable.

Finally, there are some changes regarding procedural matters in contentious issues before the Patent Office Agency.

The draft regulations are signed by Prof Yaakov Neeman, the Minister of Justice. Procedurally, one wonders if, now that the government has fallen and the country is going to an election, scheduled early next year, whether it is correct to institute new regulations at this time, or to wait for a new government to be formed.